BESydney chief executive Lyn Lewis-Smith will not renew her contract and will resign in July.
“In leading this organization for more than a decade, I have always believed in this industry and its impact on the world,” said Lewis-Smith, who was named CEO in 2012.
Another well-known executive in Sydney’s business events community has also recently retired. In August, Geoff Donaghy, chief executive of the Sydney International Convention Center and group director of ASM Global conference centers, resigned. He opened the center in December 2016.
The sixty-ninth meeting was held in Sydney
BESydney reported that it hosted 69 global and national conferences. The figures were shared at a plenary session at the Australian National Maritime Museum. The events brought together 51,000 delegates and were expected to generate $216 million in revenue.
As of June 30, 2024, BESydney reported hosting 58 global and national business events involving 101,000 delegates and an estimated $401 million in direct spend.
This is higher than the most recently reported figures in 2022-2023. There were 57 global and national meetings, attracting 41,000 delegates. The estimated economic impact is $155 million.
The average expenditure per international association representative per conference day was reported to be US$852.
Sydney is also feeling the trend of combining work and play. According to BESydney, in addition to business activities, attendees will also extend their stay in Sydney by four days.
The Sydney Business Fund contributes to the city’s success. The fund covers on-site costs for group meetings and incentive events held in Sydney until 31 December 2025. The fund will provide $40 per attendee. The event must run for a minimum of three nights and is yet to be confirmed. The application deadline is December 31, 2024.
